Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize warfare, according to analysts, which will generate human conflicts that are unimaginably different and more deadly.
Observers say that Beijing is investing massively in artificial intelligence to the point that it may be able to change the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region and perhaps beyond. This has profound implications for the world order that has long been dominated by the United States.
“It is not about worrying that we are no longer the dominant power in the world, but rather about the dangers of living in a world in which the Chinese Communist Party becomes the dominant power,” said a report prepared by a committee of experts led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
All types of weapons, whether robots, drones or torpedoes, for example, can be transformed into autonomous systems thanks to advanced sensors governed by artificial intelligence algorithms that allow the computer to “see.”
Autonomy does not mean that a weapon “can wake up in the morning and decide to wage war,” says Stuart Russell, professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.
He explains, "They are weapons capable of locating, selecting, and attacking human targets or targets that contain humans inside, without human intervention."
Killer robots in science fiction films depicting a bleak world are an obvious example of autonomy, but perhaps not very practical.
“There are those who are exploring this as well, but in my opinion these robots are the least useful,” Russell adds.
Most of these weapons are still in the concept or prototype stages, but the war between Russia and Ukraine has provided a glimpse of their potential. Remotely controlled drones are not new, but they are increasingly autonomous and used by both sides, forcing them to flee in search of underground shelters.
This could be one of the biggest immediate changes, says Russell. “The potential consequence of having autonomous weapons is that if anyone shows up on the battlefield, they can be killed.”
Autonomous weapons could have many potential advantages for an attacking army: they can be more efficient, can be produced at a lower cost, and eliminate difficult human emotions such as fear or anger on the battlefield.